Frank j



`(No Model.)

F. J. CODDINGTON.

BL-EVATOR APRON FOR HARVESTERS.

10.369,164. PatentedAug. so, 1887.

Pneus. Pnanavumngmpnm. washing, n. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT Orrrcn.

lFRANK J. CODDING'ION, OF LAKE VIEW, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO VILLIAM E. CODDINGTON AND MICHAEL BOPP, BOTH OF SAME PLACE.

ELEVATOR-'APRON vFOR HARVESTERS.

SPIEC'IlEICLA'lION forming part. of Letters Patent No. 369,164. dated August 30l 1887.

Application filed February 23, 1887. Serial No. 228,600. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

-Beit known that I, FRANK J. CoDDINeToN,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Lake View, in the county of Cook and State of Illi- 5 nois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Elevators for Harvesters, which is fully set forth in the following specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which-- Figure l is a view of the front or outer side of a portion of an elevator-apron having my invention applied thereto; Fig. 2, a view of the opposite or inner side of the same; Fig. 3, a View similar to Fig. l, showing a modification thereof; Fig. 4, a similar view showing an other modification; Fig. 5, a view showing the :means heretofore employed for securing the slats or strips to the elevator-canvas; Fig. 6, a detail sectional view taken on the line x a: of Fig. l; Fig. 7, a detail sectional view taken on the line 'y g/ of Fig. 6; Fig. 8, a detail plan view of the fastening device shown in Figs. 6 and 7 before the same is applied; Fig. 9, a detail sectional view taken on the line z z of Fig. l; Fig. l0, a detail sectional View taken on the line u u of Fig. 3; Fig. 11, a det-ail view of one of the fastening devices before the same is applied; Fig. 12, a detail sectional view taken on the line o o of Fig. 4., and Fig. 13 a detail view of one of the staples employed in the construction shown in Figs. 4 and l2.

Like letters refer to like parts in all the Iigures of the drawings.

My invention relates to elevator-aprons for harvesters and other like articles, and more particularly to the meansfor securing the slats or strips thereof upon the elevator-canvas, its object being to provide a fastening device whereby the said slats shall be more firmly and securely attached, so as to prevent their working loose and becoming detached from the canvas. v

To this end my invention consists in certain novel features, which I will now proceed to describe, and will then particularly point out in the claims. y

Heretofore it has been customary to secure i the slats, which are of wood, to the canvas byl driving wrought-iron nails through the canvas from the inner side thereof and entirely through the wooden slat, clinching the nail on lthe inner side thereof, as shown, and

' the other.

the outside. rIhis construction is illustrated lin Fig. 5, in which A represents the canvas,

and B the slats,which are secured by wroughtiron nails b, driven through the canvas from 5 through the wooden slat, being clinched on the outer side thereof. In this construction there are various disadvantages, of which the .following may be pointed out: In the first place, the number of nails driven entirely through the wooden slats will split the slats, either at the time the nails are driven or subsequently when the apparatus has been subjected to the usual working strains. Moreover, since the grain works into the spaces between the canvas and slats between the nails,it tends, when the canvas is tightened, to force the slats and canvas apart, thus ultimately detaching the slats from the canvas by reason of the yielding of one or In addition to this, when the canvas becomes wet, either through exposure to the weather or by working in damp grain, the iron of the nails will rust and will eat away the canvas and wood to such an extent that the slats will be readily detached upon the slightest strain. The object of my present invention is to obviate these difficulties by the employment of a construction not subject to these objections.

' In the drawings I have shown in Figs. 1 and 2 a construction in which my invention is practically carried out in one form. In this construction, A represents the elevator canvas, and B the slats, which are constructed of wood or some other similar material'. Along the center of the under side of each slat I form a groove or slot, B', which is adapted to receive a retaining piece or key, C. This retaining-piece is of dimensions sufficiently smaller than the groove B to Vadmit of the clamping of the elevatorcanvas A between its walls and the walls ofthe groove, so that in practice when the canvas is laid over the slat B and the retaining-piece O is forced down into the groove it will carry the canvas down with itA and will clamp the same within the groove.

In order to secure the retaining-piece C in position within the groove, I employ a series of fastening devices, one of which is shown in roo Fig. l1, and consists of a flat strip, D, of galvanized iron or other flexible metal. I prefer to construct these fastening devices of galvanized iron, for the reason that they will not rust and eorrode the canvas when exposed to moisture. The ends of the strips are sharpened, as shown at d, and the whole is bent to form a staple of sufficient width to embrace the slat. The sharpened ends are then forced through the canvas A on each side of the slat until the body portion of the staple rests upon the canvas and the retainingpiece C. The ends d are then bent and driven into the body of the wooden slat B sufiiciently to secure the whole in position. In the construct-ion shown in Figs. l, 2, and 9 these fastening devices or staples D are shown as of sufficient length to have their ends driven or clinched into the top or outer side of the slat B on cach side of the central line thereof, while in the construction shown in Figs. 3 and 10 the fastening devices are somewhatlonger, so that their edges overlap past each other to some extent, their ends being beveled on one side only, so as to produce a point which may be driven into the wooden slat without having the two ends interfere with each other. A much smaller forni of fastening device is shown in Figs. 4, 12, and 13 of the drawings, the staple being quite small in this case, and for that reason preferably constructed of steel, and being only of sufficient width to embrace the retaining-piece C, instead of passing around the entire slat B. In this case the staple will be driven through the canvas and will pass down upon each side of the retaiuingpieee C, passing into the body of the slat B, and thus securing the retaining piece in position.

Although any one of these forms of fastening devices forsccuring the retaining-piece C- or, indeed, any suitable fastening devicc--may be employed for the purpose, both at the ends of the slat and in the intermediate positions, I have devised a special form of fastening device to be employed at the ends of the slat in order to properly secure the canvas at this point. rIhe canvas is doubled at its edge in o rder to not present a rough edge or selvage at the margin of the elevator. A fastening-staple, E, preferably constructed of galvanized iron and having sharpened ends c, is driven through the canvas and clinched around the body of the slat B at the end thereof, in the same manner as the fastening D, just described. A lateral tongue, E', is formed on the outer side of the fastening E, which is cut away at c on the opposite side, so -that when the said tongue is bent over in the manner shown more particularly in Figs. 6 and A7 the end of the tongue may be driven downward into the body of the slat B, so as to secure the edge of the canvas firmly in position. W'ith this construction the retaining-piece C preferably terminates at the point where the tongue E is bent downward, as shown in Fig. 7, although the said piece may be carried out to the end of the slat and the tongue driven down into the said retaining-piece instead of into the body of the slat.

It will be seen that by the construction described the disadvantages attendant upon the use of the construction in common use are obviatcd in the fullest manner. The connection between the canvas and the slat is so close, owing to the groove and retaining-piece, that it is impossible for the grain to force itself between the two, and thus loosen the fastening devices. Moreover, the employment of a large number of nails arranged closely together and passing entirely through the wooden slat is entirely done away with, and along with it any danger of splitting the slat. Indeed, the fastening devices surrounding or almost surrounding the slat serve to materially strengthen the same, instead of being a source of weakness, as in the ordinary construction. \Vl1en these fastening devices are constructed of galvanized iron, which, as hereinbefore stated, I prefer for the purpose, there will be no rusting or corrosion of the canvas, thus materially increasing the durability of' the elevator-apron. I am therefore able to produce an elevator-apron which is free from the objections attendant upon the usual construction aud of much greater durability and strength.

It is obvious that various modifications in the details of construction maybe made without departing from the principle of my invention. For instance, the form of fastening device for securing the retaining-piece in position may be other than those shown and described herein. Moreover, although I have described its application to elevators for harvesters, it is obviously capable of other applications where it is desired to connect wooden strips to canvas or other fabric. I therefore do not wish to be understood as limiting my self, strictly, to the precise details hereinbe fore described, and shown in the drawings.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. In a harvester elevator-apron or thelikc, the combination, with the canvas A, of the slat B, provided with the groove B on its under side to receive the canvas, the retainingpiece C, adapted to fit within the groove and clamp the canvas therein, and fastening devices passing through the canvas and around the slat and retaining-piece to secure the same in position, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

^ 2. In a harvester elevator-apron or the like, the combination, with the canvas A, the slat B, provided with groove B', to receive the canvas, and the retaining-piece C, adapted to fit within the groove and clamp the canvas therein, of the fastening devices D, passing through the canvas, bearing against the sides of the slat, and having their sharpened extremities inserted into the body of the slat at the top IOO IIO

esame thereof, substantially as and for the purposes specified. I

3. In -a harvester elevatorapron or the like,

the combination, with the canvas A and the 5 slat B, of the end fastening device, E, having a staple-shaped body passing through'the can-V vas and embracing the slat and having its ends inserted in the same, and provided with alateral tongue, E', folded over the edge of the canvas and driven into the under side of the ro slat, substantially as and for the purposes specified. FRANK J. CODDINGTON.

Witnesses:

IRVINE MILLER, W. C. CORLIES. 

